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Maritime history and survey of the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear rivers, Wilmington Harbor, North Carolina. Volume 1: Maritime history

in the fall of 1811, the best of the three, gunboat No. 168, was transferred to the St.
Mary's station in Maryland. The other gunboats on the Wilmington station were
decommissioned after the war and sold (Moseley n.d.:19; Smith 1994.32-34).
Bald Head Island Shipyard (ca. 1814)
A shipyard that appears on the Potter (ca. 1814) map may be associated with Benjamin
Smith. The shipyard is shown directly north of the "new light house," along Cape Creek.
Southwest of the shipyard adjacent to the Cape Fear River, "Sea Castle," the summer
house of Benjamin Smith, is marked (Potter ca. 1814).
Mcllhenny Boatyard (ca. 1828 - 1833)
In 1824 John K. Mcllhenny constructed a 181 -ton brigantine named the Eliza and the
following year launched the Sarah, a 136-ton brigantine. Both vessels, with dimensions
of more than 70 feet long by 20 feet in width, were used for trade between Wilmington
and New York. A steamboat named the Enterprise, owned by Gen. E. B. Dudley and
John Mcllhenny, was launched from the wharf of Mr. Mcllhenny on September 23,
1828. The steamboat was intended to run as a packet between Wilmington and
Fayetteville. It was described as "a very small boat, and was used ... for towing the
rice flats from the different plantations." The boat was lengthened, then used about
1832 to convey mail and passengers between Wilmington and Smithville (Wilmington
Star, October 28, 1828, March 28, 1832; Sprunt 1896:34-35; Moseley n.d.:20).
In James Sprunt's 1896 work Tales and Traditions of the Lower Cape Fear he makes
the claim that "The first and only sailing ship built at Wilmington was launched June
5th, 1833, by Mr. John K. Mcllhenny . . ." and named the Eliza and Susan, after his two
daughters. This statement is partially in error. The Eliza and Susan was not the first and
only sailing ship built at Wilmington; however, the date of the launching is accurate.
The vessel was described as being a "full-rig ship of 316 tons, built of the staunchest
live oak, and of unusual strength. The oak came partly from Bald Head and partly from
Lockwood's Folly. She was pine-planked and coppered." The ship was used in the
Pacific whaling trade (Wilmington Messenger, May 2, 1897; Sprunt, 1896:33-34).
Sprunt describes the yard where the Eliza and Susan was built as being located on a
canal cut by Mcllhenny and "at right angles with the river and parallel with Queen
Street. .
." (Sprunt 1896:34).
James L. Cassidey & Sons Shipyard (ca 1830 - 1855)
Cassidey Brothers & Ross Shipyard (ca 1868 - 1879)
Cassidey Brothers Shipyard (1855 - 1880)
The earliest account of shipbuilding at the James Cassidey shipyard, located near the
foot of Church Street, dates from 1830. Two years earlier Cassidey purchased lots on
Front Street that extended to the river. On March 31, 1830, the steamboat Retrieve was
launched from the Cassidey shipyard at the south end of town (Wrenn, 1984:266;
213

in the fall of 1811, the best of the three, gunboat No. 168, was transferred to the St.
Mary's station in Maryland. The other gunboats on the Wilmington station were
decommissioned after the war and sold (Moseley n.d.:19; Smith 1994.32-34).
Bald Head Island Shipyard (ca. 1814)
A shipyard that appears on the Potter (ca. 1814) map may be associated with Benjamin
Smith. The shipyard is shown directly north of the "new light house," along Cape Creek.
Southwest of the shipyard adjacent to the Cape Fear River, "Sea Castle," the summer
house of Benjamin Smith, is marked (Potter ca. 1814).
Mcllhenny Boatyard (ca. 1828 - 1833)
In 1824 John K. Mcllhenny constructed a 181 -ton brigantine named the Eliza and the
following year launched the Sarah, a 136-ton brigantine. Both vessels, with dimensions
of more than 70 feet long by 20 feet in width, were used for trade between Wilmington
and New York. A steamboat named the Enterprise, owned by Gen. E. B. Dudley and
John Mcllhenny, was launched from the wharf of Mr. Mcllhenny on September 23,
1828. The steamboat was intended to run as a packet between Wilmington and
Fayetteville. It was described as "a very small boat, and was used ... for towing the
rice flats from the different plantations." The boat was lengthened, then used about
1832 to convey mail and passengers between Wilmington and Smithville (Wilmington
Star, October 28, 1828, March 28, 1832; Sprunt 1896:34-35; Moseley n.d.:20).
In James Sprunt's 1896 work Tales and Traditions of the Lower Cape Fear he makes
the claim that "The first and only sailing ship built at Wilmington was launched June
5th, 1833, by Mr. John K. Mcllhenny . . ." and named the Eliza and Susan, after his two
daughters. This statement is partially in error. The Eliza and Susan was not the first and
only sailing ship built at Wilmington; however, the date of the launching is accurate.
The vessel was described as being a "full-rig ship of 316 tons, built of the staunchest
live oak, and of unusual strength. The oak came partly from Bald Head and partly from
Lockwood's Folly. She was pine-planked and coppered." The ship was used in the
Pacific whaling trade (Wilmington Messenger, May 2, 1897; Sprunt, 1896:33-34).
Sprunt describes the yard where the Eliza and Susan was built as being located on a
canal cut by Mcllhenny and "at right angles with the river and parallel with Queen
Street. .
." (Sprunt 1896:34).
James L. Cassidey & Sons Shipyard (ca 1830 - 1855)
Cassidey Brothers & Ross Shipyard (ca 1868 - 1879)
Cassidey Brothers Shipyard (1855 - 1880)
The earliest account of shipbuilding at the James Cassidey shipyard, located near the
foot of Church Street, dates from 1830. Two years earlier Cassidey purchased lots on
Front Street that extended to the river. On March 31, 1830, the steamboat Retrieve was
launched from the Cassidey shipyard at the south end of town (Wrenn, 1984:266;
213